The Paradox of Sultanistic Regimes: Economic Inequality, Transnational Activism, and the Natural Democratization of the Arab Spring

According to Jack A. Goldstone, the wave of revolutions that swept the Middle East in 2011 bore striking similarities to previous waves of political unrest. As in Europe in 1848, rising food prices and high unemployment fueled popular protests from Morocco to Oman. This ongoing economic crisis combined with the political fatigue of a society that had lived under the shadow of repression for decades. When basic necessities are no longer met, a government’s moral legitimacy collapses, leaving a collective rage ready to explode at any moment.

Even the revolutions in the Middle East represent the collapse of increasingly corrupt sultanistic regimes. Although economies across the region have grown in recent years, the gains have shunned the majority of the population, accumulating instead among a wealthy few. Mubarak and his family reportedly amassed a fortune of between $40 billion and $70 billion, and 39 officials and businessmen close to Mubarak’s son, Gamal, are alleged to have amassed fortunes averaging over $1 billion each. The corrupt behavior of these leaders mirrors several cases in other countries that have led to massive protests.

This extreme inequality demonstrates how political power is abused to secure the capital accumulation of elite groups. The exclusionary economic structure makes vertical social mobility impossible for ordinary people, while the regime’s cronies enjoy unlimited benefits. This visible injustice fuels profound social alienation among citizens, ultimately transforming individual frustration into an organized resistance movement.

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